This application relates to tools for removing molded-on polymeric rod guides from sucker rods and, more particularly, to tools for cutting off guides without harming the rod.
In typical oil field situations, a sucker rod reciprocates within a tubing to actuate a pump for the production of well fluids. These rods are often protected from wear by a plurality of polymeric rod guides affixed about the rod at selected locations. When these rod guides become worn or damaged and need to be replaced, it becomes necessary to remove the molded guide from the rod. Many manual techniques are employed to remove these guides. A large hammer, striking a glancing blow across a rib of the guide, may sometimes dislodge and shatter the polymeric guide if done properly. Unfortunately, this takes practice and sometimes results in damaging dents to the rod surface or the requirement of repeated blows to dislodge the guide in pieces. Alternatively, a chisel may be set at a steep angle to the rod and gently hammered or "walked" axially down the length of the guide to cut a deep groove to aid in the hammering off of the guide. This technique sometimes results in striking of the rod with the cutting chisel and severe damage to the rod.
These techniques are very slow and laborious and unnecessarily increases the manpower necessary for operation of an otherwise highly automated rod guide removal and installation process. For a description of modern rod guide molding practice see U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,184 to Carson and U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,386 to Hinds et al, which are hereby incorporated by reference.